Market Research Basics
Jack Henkel, Business Development Manager
Andrea Wesser, Business Development Manager
About the Venture Lab
 The UCF Venture Lab is a joint initiative between:
• UCF Office of Research and Commercialization
• UCF College of Business
• Orange County, Florida
Our Mission
 To provide early-stage
entrepreneurs with
access to experienced
business coaches that
can assist them in the prebusiness steps that are
critical for the successful
launch of technology
firms.
Our Services
 Coaching – strategy, product/service launch,
--------commercialization
 Legal Advice – patent law, incorporation,
understand contracts, tech transfer
 Market Analysis – market assessment,
application research, pipeline founding
 Financial Planning – revenue models,
proper pricing, appropriation of funds
 Financial Sourcing – SBIR/STTR search,
venture capital raising plan
Resources and Tools
 Expert advice from a talented, experienced
panel of coaches
 Entrepreneurship/Start-Up literature
 Workshops
 Network of entrepreneurs/investors
 Reviewing of start-up documentation
 Templates for documentation
 Start-up basics templates
 Pitch practice and review sessions
Tech. Competitive Analysis
 Broad scope technology qualitative
comparison (example below):
Property
Lead
Acid
Nickel
Cadmium
(NiCd)
Safety
Unsafe - toxic
Unsafe - Cd
Energy
Density
Low
Power
Sodium Sulfur
(NaS)
Flow Cell
Company A:
Gen 1 (Lithium
ion) Battery
Other
Lithium ion
Batteries
Relatively
safe
Safe
Safe
Relatively safe
Unsafe explosive
Low
Low
High
Low
Highest
Mid - High
High
High
High
Low
High
Medium
Medium
Recharge
Speed
Slow
Rapid
Slow – High –
temp comp
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Memory
Effects
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
Inexpensive
Inexpensive
Mid Range
Expensive
Expensive
Mid Range
Expensive
Heavy
Heavy
Heavy
Lighter
Heavy
Lightest
Light
Cost
Weight
NIMH
Tech. Competitive Analysis
 Direct competitor quantitative comparison
Cathode
Voltage
Capacity
Cycle Life
Max Discharge Current
Charge-Up Time
Op Temp Range
Need Pow Man Chip?
Withstand soldering?
Safe with Lithium?
Built-in recharger?
In production?
Company A
LiMn2O4 (unannealed)
LiMn2O4 (annealed)
LiV2O5
3.5V
4.2V
2.5V
10 uAh/cm2
N/A
100 uA/sec
5 - 10 minutes
-20°C to +200°C
No
Yes
Yes
In-line, RFI/EMI
No
Cymbet
LiCoO2
3.8V
50 uAh/cm2
>5000 @ 25°C
100 uA/min
30 minutes
0°C to +70°C
Yes
Yes
No
In-line
Yes
Infinite Power Solutions
LiCoO2
4.2V
110 uAh/cm2
5000 @ 25°C
N/A
N/A
N/A
Yes
No
No
N/A
No
Front Edge Tech
LiCoO2
4.2V
20 uAh/cm2
1000 @ 25°C
75 uA/min
20 minutes
-40°C to +170°C
Yes
No
No
N/A
No
Patent Analysis
 Google Patents (www.google.com/patents)
 Good for PDF download, easy to use
 USPTO PATFT & PAIR (www.uspto.gov)
 Good for accessing latest patents and
US patent applications
 WIPO Patent Scope (www.wipo.org)
 Good for foreign patents and hard to
find US patent applications
 Typically access “Initial publication with
ISR”
Bus. Competitive Analysis
 Draw info from technology competitive analysis
 Management Team
 Customers and Partners
 Press Releases
 SEC filings/Annual Reports
 Investors and VC $$ raised
 Lawsuits, executive firings, and job postings
 Financial Statements
 Assets, R & D, Cash Flow, Revenues, etc.
 Independent market reports
Bus. Competitive Analysis
Technology
Company A
Explay
Light Blue
Optics
Micron
High
brightness
LCD
RGB laser
(unknown
combiner)
Hologram Liquid Crystal
on Silicon
illuminated
with RGB
laser
Ferroelectric
liquid crystal
on silicon
(FLCOS)
Table 2 - Comparison of Projection MicroDisplay Module Companies
Production
Simplicity of
Partners
Customers
Ready? If not,
Fabrication
when?
N/A
Kopin
N/A
Luminetx
Displaytech
N/A
Citizen,
Fujitsu
Light Blue Optics
Simplicity of
Working
Components
Very simple
(backlit LCD and
two mirrors)
Main
Competitive
Advantage
Simplicity,
size, cost TBD
in phase II
No, by end of
Phase II
Very simple
No
Complex three laser
system with beam
combination, speckle
removal, etc.
("incorporates 11
patent-protected
innovations")
No
Needs three
Complex system with
lasers, plus
three lasers and a LCoS
No focus
multiple other
holographic projecting
necessary
active elements in
device
the optical train
Yes, product can
be ordered
Microdisplay only, not
projector
MicroVision
RGB laser
with MEMS
N/A
Lockheed Martin,
Motorola
No
Three lasers combined
and an active MEMS
mirror to create image
Texas
Instruments
DLP
Young Optics
Foxconn
Yes
Three LED's with DLP
projection
Needs three
lasers, plus
No focus
multiple other
necessary
active elements in
the optical train
Microdisplay
only, not
projector
Needs three
lasers, plus
multiple other
active elements in
the optical train
Three light
sources and
active mirrors
Very high
refresh rate
No focus
necessary
Ready made
development
kit
Dissection of a competitor
 Oakridge Micro-Energy
(http://www.oakridgemicro.com/)
Market Opportunity
 Do not need to buy market reports
 Search for PR campaign for that report
 Make sure you understand what you are reading
 Trade Associations make great resources
 Trade show content (no need to attend)
 Always look for changing standards and
regulations on the pipeline
 Federal Agencies also have strong resources that
are free
 Mergers and Acquisitions
Industry Analysis
 Visualize Supply Chain
 UCF library Resources
Barriers to Entry
Federal Agencies
Blogs (ex. www.seekingalpha.com)
Resources and Tools
 Library Resources (www.library.ucf.edu)
 IBIS World
 Hoovers
 Mintel
 Lexus Nexus
 RDS Business Suite (Business & Industry)
 Wall Street Journal
 Linkedin.com & Jigsaw
Resources and Tools
Technology Blogs and Websites
 www.crunchbase.com (Tech Crunch)
 www.gizmodo.com
 www.engadget.com
 VC and financial info
 http://startup.partnerup.com/category/acquisitions/
 www.finance.yahoo.com
 http://www.private-equity.org.uk
Resources and Tools
 Industry Specific Sources
 Video Game Industry - www.gamasutra.com
 Social Networks – www.mashable.com
 Mobile Phones & App Stores
 www.admob.com
http://gigaom.com/ (“app store economy”)
www.appshopper.com
Funding Opportunities
 SBIR/STTR
 Phase I/Phase II
 www.zyn.com
Large Government Grants
 www.grants.gov
Government Contracts
 www.fedbizopps.gov
Strategic Investors/Partners
Come Visit Us!
Office Location:
University Tower
12201 Research Pkwy
Phone: 407-823-1442
http://www.venturelab.ucf.edu/